The mental side of sports is just as big of an aspect as the physical side, however it is quite often over looked as individuals and teams attempt to make it through the ranks. I remember listening to a cd a while back that gave some statistics of the number of people that make it to the professional level of various sports. I believe that if athletes were listening and reading the information that LIFE Leadership produces, we would see a whole new level of competative sport!

If you were discussing leadership with an athlete or coach, what product would you recommend? MFC? Corporate Education? EDGE? LLR? A custom blend of books and cds that meet their sport? Would it vary depending on age or professional level?

I would love to know as well! We could market our products to high school football and other athletic programs! Maybe even semi-pro and pro. I heard that our Financial Fitness is being used by a professional football team! That is great news.

I know a college athletic director using the materials... I'll have to ask him what his favorite is!

Awesome Misty!
I spoke with Wayne Nacnamara and he recommended Launching A Leadership Revolution and The Slight Edge for sports teams. The Slight Edge has such cool concepts that a British cycling team (Team Sky) applied these to their team down to the smallest detail and has won a couple of Tour de France races.

The CD that talks about Peter Vidmar at the Olympics, is a great CD. Most sports programs at the University and College levels, as well as the Professional levels, have Sport Psychologists that work with the players. While studying in college both Undergraduate and Graduate, we covered sections in varying degrees of depth on Visualization. I know Visualization was used by one of the Olympic Shooting Teams in Europe, because of the lack of ammo. As an instructor and personal trainer, plus a few other areas I work in I share visualization as a way to improve performance. Sorry if that was really technical.

The books mentioned above are great too. Some others books that come to mind are the Magic of Believing by Claude Bristol and books by Norman Vincent Peale.

Listening to many, many Audios and Reading from several books at once, absorbing and integrating the information, Transforming myself into the woman I need to be to fulfill my mission and purpose which Heavenly Father put me me on earth to do.

The Mental side of sports is a game changer! Had I had different thinking as a college athlete I would have had a much better career! Ant and the Elephant cd and book would be a great choice. Also, the books psychology of winning and What To Say When You Talk to Yourself are great ones. MFC!!!! Where do I stop?!

To deal with different types of odd situations and problems; we need professional help like expert advice and many others. Without proper guidance we are unable to do things perfect; therefore we need leadership support from experts in order to improve our performance.

I think one of the best books that is promoted by Life Leadership is the Ant and the Elephant by Vince Poscente! The battle between the conscious and subconscious mind is always critical in sports. The book, The Ant & The Elephant equips you with tools to allow your ant to train your elephant. It is well documented that Lebron James gives credit to the reading of this book during the 2012 NBA Playoffs. Here is a link to an article: http://articles.sun-...ga-lebron-james

A grade-school friend of mine dared me to go out for Cross Country with him during our freshman year of high school in 1973. I did and...43 years later I still run (completing numerous races as well as 1/2 & full marathons along the way). I began learning/realizing the importance of the mental side of sports in the summer between my freshman & sophomore years - when I realized that it'd be better to remain in shape, than re-start every September. I began doing long runs (10-12 miles) on my own - which paid big dividends during the racing season.

I learned that if I got alone for a few minutes before each race and both quieted my mind and visualized me passing people on the track (most races finish on a track) that I would perform better - to the point of beating competing team players whom I wasn't "supposed" to beat! My mantra was, once I passed you "All I need is a lead" - and you would not pass me back. Once I beat the top runner from the opposing team...reeling him in over the final 2 laps of the race; he was so upset, that he grabbed his sweats and left the meet immediately after he finished.

Over the years, various muscle pulls or ankle sprains forced me to buy a Nordic Track for cross-training purposes - a wonderful workout in & of itself - but boring compared to being on a trail or long country road. During these workouts, in my basement gym, I visualize some of those races, hearing the coach & my teammates enthusiastically cheering me on - and it helps me to perform better as the muscles respond to the mental imagery & stimulus.

I identify as an athlete - I take pride in knowing I deposit "miles in the bank". As Morpheus says to Neo in The Matrix, it's my "residual self image". It improves ones self image and helps avoid health issues in later years. Most of all, I enjoy running - especially along a trail, book-ended by a river & canal on either side that finishes in a county park.

I would say "Ant & the Elephant" (both book & Orrin's CD), "Self-Talk" and LENS Effect (add a sports performance lens) would be great starting points for LL materials & sports-oriented prospects.

Jetrina likes this

2 Timothy 1:7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but of power & of love and of calm, a well-balanced mind, discipline and self-control.